The Money Mustache Community

Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: geekette on November 29, 2022, 01:39:44 PM

Title: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: geekette on November 29, 2022, 01:39:44 PM
I bought an Amazon gift card along with a few items at the grocery store yesterday (end of month fuel points!). Then I went to customer service because there was an overcharge on one item.

Now the gift card is missing.  I have the activation receipt, which doesn't have all the numbers.  I went back to the grocery store and even talked to the same customer service person who helped me last night.  She looked at the camera and it showed that I had the gift card during check out.  She was sympathetic, but couldn't do anything.

I've checked everywhere I can think of, plus some I couldn't ;-).

Is there any way to get the credit on a new card (assuming someone didn't find it and use it last night).

The credit card I used doesn't have any protection for lost items.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: Goldendog777 on November 29, 2022, 06:38:20 PM
Following. I ordered a restaurant gift card on the internet that was supposedly sent to me via the US post office and never got it. Wondering what my recourse is. It was $150!
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: cool7hand on November 30, 2022, 09:42:59 AM
Following. I ordered a restaurant gift card on the internet that was supposedly sent to me via the US post office and never got it. Wondering what my recourse is. It was $150!

If a nastygram doesn't work, your best option is small claims.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: cool7hand on November 30, 2022, 09:44:15 AM
I bought an Amazon gift card along with a few items at the grocery store yesterday (end of month fuel points!). Then I went to customer service because there was an overcharge on one item.

Now the gift card is missing.  I have the activation receipt, which doesn't have all the numbers.  I went back to the grocery store and even talked to the same customer service person who helped me last night.  She looked at the camera and it showed that I had the gift card during check out.  She was sympathetic, but couldn't do anything.

I've checked everywhere I can think of, plus some I couldn't ;-).

Is there any way to get the credit on a new card (assuming someone didn't find it and use it last night).

The credit card I used doesn't have any protection for lost items.

This is a pickle. I suspect there is fine print on the card that says it's like cash and you're responsible for losing it.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: Catbert on November 30, 2022, 05:14:13 PM
I bought an Amazon gift card along with a few items at the grocery store yesterday (end of month fuel points!). Then I went to customer service because there was an overcharge on one item.

Now the gift card is missing.  I have the activation receipt, which doesn't have all the numbers.  I went back to the grocery store and even talked to the same customer service person who helped me last night.  She looked at the camera and it showed that I had the gift card during check out.  She was sympathetic, but couldn't do anything.

I've checked everywhere I can think of, plus some I couldn't ;-).

Is there any way to get the credit on a new card (assuming someone didn't find it and use it last night).

The credit card I used doesn't have any protection for lost items.

This is a pickle. I suspect there is fine print on the card that says it's like cash and you're responsible for losing it.

Yep, I think losing a gift card is like losing a $50 bill.  Even if you have the serial number its still just gone.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: secondcor521 on November 30, 2022, 06:47:44 PM
The only possible recourse I know of would be to contact the gift card issuer, tell them it was lost, and ask them if they can replace it.  I believe that can be done with the US Bank Visa debit cards that are sold at grocery stores.  I don't know if it can be done with merchant-specific gift cards like Burger King or Chipotles or whatever.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: Freedomin5 on November 30, 2022, 09:32:21 PM
I'm not sure I understand. You purchased an item. You misplaced it (or it was stolen). So now you want the merchant to give you a new one because you lost your old one?

Losing something important totally sucks, and I get that, but asking someone else to compensate you for your own carelessness/misfortune kind of isn't how life works...at least not in my world.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: geekette on December 01, 2022, 08:41:15 AM
I'm not sure I understand. You purchased an item. You misplaced it (or it was stolen). So now you want the merchant to give you a new one because you lost your old one?
I don’t think you understand. I lost a piece of plastic that had some numbers on it indicating a value. I had hoped that there was a way for Amazon to put that value on a different piece of plastic.

I know this (billions of dollars of gift cards going unused) is why gift cards are so beloved by big companies like Amazon. I just hoped there was a way to retrieve that value myself instead of just shrugging my shoulders.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: Freedomin5 on December 01, 2022, 09:13:07 AM
I'm not sure I understand. You purchased an item. You misplaced it (or it was stolen). So now you want the merchant to give you a new one because you lost your old one?
I don’t think you understand. I lost a piece of plastic that had some numbers on it indicating a value. I had hoped that there was a way for Amazon to put that value on a different piece of plastic.

I know this (billions of dollars of gift cards going unused) is why gift cards are so beloved by big companies like Amazon. I just hoped there was a way to retrieve that value myself instead of just shrugging my shoulders.

Ah, got it. So to you it’s more like losing a (prepaid) credit card. In which case, maybe check the fine print? Most cards that can be replaced will say something along the lines of “in case of lost or stolen card, call XXX number or do XYZ steps”.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: dividendman on December 01, 2022, 10:20:45 AM
I had my wallet stolen that had a $300 Costco gift card in it. They were able to electronically cancel that one and issue me a new one, just had to call em up.
Title: Re: Has anyone gotten a refund for a missing gift card?
Post by: Goldendog777 on December 01, 2022, 07:24:59 PM
The only possible recourse I know of would be to contact the gift card issuer, tell them it was lost, and ask them if they can replace it.  I believe that can be done with the US Bank Visa debit cards that are sold at grocery stores.  I don't know if it can be done with merchant-specific gift cards like Burger King or Chipotles or whatever.
I called the merchant today and since they sent the card without tracking, they are shipping me a new gift card. Hopefully the USPS will not lose this one!